Candy-making machine



Dec. 10, 1940.

Fm. I.

R. w. KROUT 2,224,400

CANDY-MAKING MACHINE Filed Nov. 29, 1958 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 lOlu INVENTOR.RAY W. KROUT.

ATTORNEY.

Dec; 10, 1940. R'. w. KROUT CANDY-MAKING MACHINE Filed Nov. 29, 1938 '7Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. RAY W. Mom. 7% 'M' eb JM ATTORNEY.

R. W. KROUT CANDY-MAKING MACHINE 7 Dec. 10, 1940.

Filed Nov. 29, 19:58

INVENTOR. W KROUT 7 Sheets-Sheet 4- m K m H S E Oh mm mm mm I i mm 7 kmN mm mm mb ATTORNEY.

R. W. KROUT CANDY-MAKING MACHINE Dec. 10, 1940.

Filed Nov. 29, 1938 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 \INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

RAY W. KROUT- R. w. KROUT CANDY-MAKING MACHINE Dec. 10, 1940.

Filed Nov. 29, 1938 '7 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTOR. RAY Wm.

ATTORNEY.

R. w. KROUT' 2,224,400

I CANDY-MAKING MACHINE Dec. 10, 1940.

Filed Nov. 29, 1938 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 m I I FIG. l3.

" Q 9 I v INVENTOR |2| RAY W. KROUT..

' Y BY v ATTORNEY.

Patented Dec. 10, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CAN DY-MAKING MACHINERay W. Krout,'Paterson, N. 3., assignor to Charms Company, Bloomfield,N. J., a corporation of Delaware This invention relates to improvementsin candy-making machines and more particularly to apparatus forproducing in quantity candies of elongated form with one end doubledback to give them the appearance of shepherds crooks or canes.

An object of the invention is to provide a machine of the kind specifiedhaving means for making pieces or sticks of candy of predeterminedlength and thickness in plastic condition; bending each in turn at oneend until it assumes the desired shape; and then expelling it upon aconveyor which removes the finished stick for cooling and packing.

A further object of the invention is to provide such a machine having arotary member by which sticks of candy are carried to a selected point;where projecting ends thereof are acted upon by an unbalanced force,curled about a forming 2O element and then dis-charged upon the conveyoraforesaid.

Another object is to provide such a machine having a stationarysupporting member over which the sticks of candy are impelled by saidrotary member, and which has a slot or recess in its edge; and a levercontrolled by said rotary member and acting so that a part of itsextremity is forced into the slot or recess to accomplish the bending atthe right instant. This support also has a cut-out portion to permit thecandy to drop upon the conveyor ready to receive it.

It is also an object of this invention to provide such a machine havinga suitable ejector and means for causing it to act in a manner thatensures the transfer to the conveyor of each article of candy when thebending is completed.

A still further object is to provide a so called cane-making machine towhich candy is fed and simultaneously twisted prior to being cut intoseparate pieces.

Yet another object is to provide a cane-making machine adapted toreceive candy fed to it along a well-defined line coming from a mass orbatch that is rolled or worked to convert it into an elongated body orlong string; and having a cutter with a blade that severs a piececonstituting a stick whenever a given length of candy has passed it. Thebody of the candy moves continuously and the cutter is actuated totravel with it while the cutter blade delivers its cutting stroke. Thesticks therefore are straight, for the body is not arched or buckledwhen the blade of the cutter is pressed down on it, as it would be ifthe candy kept moving and the cutter, except for the 5 blade, remainedin one position.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a machine of thetype outlinedhaving means. for timing the operation of the feeder, thecutter, the rotary member, and the bending lever, so that all of thenecessary steps are performed in the '5 proper order and each at thecorrect instant.

In practice the machine consists of the fewest possible number of parts,is easily assembled, cer tain in operation and capable of a largeoutput, and not too costly to set up and operate. '1

The nature of the invention will be set forth in the ensuing descriptiontaken with the accompanying drawings which show several embodiments ofthe invention.

On said drawings: 1

Figure 1 is a top view of the machine;

Figure 2 is a side view of the combined feeder and. twister;

Figure 3 is a front view of the twister and feeder, partly in section;an

Figure 4 is a top plan enlarged showing the cutter and the stationaryand rotary members which give the sticks of candy their form and thenpass them on to the conveyor;

Figure 5 is a side view of what appears in 525 Figure 4 with some of theparts in section;

Figure 6 is a sectional View of portions of the apparatus shown inFigure 5 for controlling the operation of the cutter;

Figure '7 is a detail showing additional connections for operating thecutter;

Figure 8 is a front view of the cutter guide post and the cuttertherein.

Figure 9 is a top plan of the cam which imparts motion to the cutter; v

Figure 10 is a detailed view showing a portion of the stationary supporthaving a cam to lift the ejector;

Figure. 11 shows an attachment on the rotary member to engage each stickof candy when it is :40 being moved over the surface of the stationarymember;

Figure 12 shows a detail;

Figures 13 and 14 are respectively top and side views of another designof apparatus embodying 'of the operating gearing.

The general arrangement of the various parts of the machine is presentedin Figure 1. The apparatus comprises a combined. sizing, twisting andfeeding device indicated as a whole by numeral I. This device draws inan elongated body of candy which comes from a mass or batch, not shown,that is rolled or otherwise worked to thin it out. When the feeder drawsit from this batch it is round and substantially rope-like in form andstill soft and'plastic. This body or string of candy is twisted andsized by the device I and then transmitted to a cutter 2, which severssuccessive pieces of the required length. These pieces are delivered tothe forming sectionof the machine indicated by the numeral 3, andfinally discharged when finished upon a belt or conveyor 4 which removesthe candy canes (indicated at C in Figure 1) for cooling and packing.The working parts of the machine are supported upon a bedplate or base5. Above it is a platform 6 or rest for the cutter 2 and the principalparts This platform 6 is connected to the. base 5 by legs I. The mode ofoperation of the machine, to be more fully described hereinafter, issuch that the end of the elongated body of candy passes the cutter 2 andenters the forming section. The candy is then cut at a point outside ofthe forming section 3. The resulting stick has its extremity protrudingfrom said section and said extremity is next turned over around the endof a suitable element to make the crook or bend thereat. The cutter 2must move as a unit with the candy when the cutting stroke begins;otherwise the successive pieces or sticks would not be straight. Sincethe twister Works continuously, if the cutter were not moved, thestring, reaching the cutter, would be arrested by the blade and archedor buckled before the cutting is completed. But by mounting andconnecting the cutter so that it moves with the candy while the cuttingis being done, the elongated body of candy that is fed to the cutter isnot obstructed and the sliver as it is cut is not arched or buckled asit would be if the cutter were stationary. Thus by the motion of thecutter forward with the candy as the cutting stroke takes place thecorrect and continuous operation of the machine is facilitated.

Adjacent the feeder and twister a pair of bearings supports or posts 8are mounted upon the bed plate 5, resting on feet 8a. In these bearingsis a tubular guide 9 fixed in a tubular shaft 9a which directly engagesthe bearings on both posts and turns freely therein. Between these postson the shaft 90 is a pulley 9b to which power is supplied to operate thewhole machine. The numeral l includes a pair of rotatable feederelements in the form of wheels having grooves 0 H in their peripherieswith pins or studs l2 in these grooves. These elements IB lie in asingle plane and their rims are substantially tangent at one point, sothat the grooves of the two wheels form in effect a circular opening atthis point, which is in line with the guide 9. Each of the wheels ll] ismounted upon a journal I3 in bearings H which are carried by a head lrigidly mounted on the shaft 9a. to turn therewith. This head It: has acentral hub [5a and projections l4a carrying the bearings l4 andconnected by arms I52) to hub I511. The wheels It each have gear teethIt) on one face meshing with pinions ll. These pinions are mounted onshafts 18 supported at one end in bearings IS- on the projections Ma andpassing through openings in the parts I51) at the other end. Both shaftsI8 also carry gears 20 fixed thereon and meshing with a fixed gear 2|secured against rotation to a fixed projection 22 around the bearing inthe adjacent post 8. Pinions I! are fast on shafts l3.

With this construction it will be seen as the shaft 9a is turned by thepulley Sb the revolution of the head l5 causes the gears 22 to roll onfixed gear 2|, and pinions I! therefore will turn the wheels H] on thejournals I3. The candy coming from the batch is pushed forward by thepins l2 and forced by the wheels it into the guide 9 and the depth ofthe grooves I l sizes the candy so that it will easily pass through theguide 9. At the same time the rotation of the head i5 causes therotating wheels to revolve with the guide 9 and shaft But about the axisof this shaft sothat the long soft body of candy is twisted as well asfed and sized. The gears are spaced from the head l5 by means of sleeves23. The pins are preferably rounded at their outer ends for a purpose tobe stated later.

The platform 6 is recessed in the rear edge as shown at 24 and flankingthis recess are arms 25 which support bearings 26. These bearings carrya horizontal guide rod 21 which passes through an opening in a block 28secured to the bottom of the base plate 29 of the cutter; and along theinner edge of the recess 24 is aiiixed a channel-shaped guide 30 whichreceives one edge of the plate 29. This plate can thus be moved back andforth with respect to the guides 21 and 30. As shown in Figure 4 it isat the left end of the range and it can be moved from this point back tothe position indicated by dot-anddash lines. When it has been actuatedto the extreme right the adjacent edge of the plate 29 will be close thedelivery end of the twister tube 9'. A guide post on the cutter is shownat 3| and mounted to move upand down in this cutter is a blade or knife32 with a diagonal lower edge. Beneath the platform 6 is a lever 33 thatis connected to move the base plate 29 back and forth on the guides 21and 30 and at 34 is a lever which actuates the cutter blade 32 to causeit to deliver its working stroke.

The central part of the platform 6 has a vertical bearing 35 in which ismounted a rotatable shaft or spindle 36. This shaft supports a plate ordisc 31 having a hub that can be secured to the shaft in any suitableway so that the rotation of the shaft carries the disc 31 with it.Affixed on the upper face of the disc 31 is a plate or disc 38 having acam groove 39 therein. In this groove is a roller 40 on a pin 4| affixedby a nut 42 to the adjacent end of the lever 33. This lever 33 ispivoted at 44 to the underside of the platform 6 and is joined by ashort link 45 to the lower face of the plate 29. Hence as the shaft 36rotates the cam 38, the lever 33 is rocked and the cutter is moved backand forth on the guides which carry it. An aperture 43 in the part 6gives clearance to nut 42.

Below the disc 31 on shaft 36 there is a loose head 46 lying between thehub of the disc 31 and a fixed stop collar 41. This head has a recesswhich receives the end of the lever 48 that is pivotally connected tothe head 46 at one end and is pinned at its other end to a vertical link49 which extends upward through the plate 29. Above the plate 29 theupper end of this link is pinned to the arm or lever 34 that actuatesthe cutter blade 32. The bottom face of the disc 31 has a cam projection50 thereon and on the top of the lever 48 mounted in any suitable way isa roller in position to be engaged by this cam. A cleft head on theupper end of the link 49 is shown at 52 and a pivot pin joining the arm34 to the head 52 is shown at 53. The link 49 has a loose collar 54which engages the top face of the base 29 and a spring 55 surrounds thelink 49 between this collar and the head 52, so that whenever the arm 48is depressed by the cam 50 this spring 55 is compressed, and when thecam 50 releases the arm 48 the spring 55 pushes the link 49 up and thearm 34 then rises. The plate 29 also carries a vertical post 56 whichextends upward and has one end of the knife arm 34 pinned to its top.The link 49 is pinned to the arm 34 between this post and the cutterblade 32. This blade is operatively connected to the opposite end of thearm 34 by a stud 51 with an enlarged head or flange 58 at its upper endand an enlarged grooved base 59 which fits upon the top of the blade 32and is riveted to it. The rounded end of the arm 34 lies between theflange on head 58 and the base 59 so that movement of the arm 34actuates the blade 32 accordingly.

The upper portion of the guide post 3| has vertical guide ribs 60between which the blade 32 moves. A bolt 6| passes through this bladeand is fixed to this post, and between the head of this bolt and theface of the blade 32 is a spring 62 to hold the knife firmly against theface of the post. The opening for this bolt is elongated as shown at 63so that the blade can move up and down on the bolt. A suitable washer onthe bolt is retained by the head thereof, and provides a good seat forthe spring 62. In the post is an opening 64 through which the candypasses to be severed by the blade 32, and this opening is a little abovethe plate 29, in line with the tube 9.

The shaft 36 carries above the platform 6 a gear 65 resting on the topof bearing 35. This gear is turned by a shaft 66 carrying a pinion 61and the shaft 66 is mounted in a bearing 68 at one side of the platform6. This shaft also carries a gear wheel 69 which is turned by a gearwheel 19 pivoted at the upper end of the arm 1|. This arm 1| has a slot12 and it is held in position on one of the legs 1 by a bolt 13. Theslotted arm can be adjusted into the position required. The gear 19meshes with the driving pinion 14 on the hollow shaft 9a.

It will be obvious that as the twister and feeder rotates, and the candytraverses the tube 9, the end of the candy as it emerges from thedelivery end of the tube will pass over the plate 29 and through theopening 64 in the guide post 3!. After the previous stroke the cutterwill be moved back to the dot-and-dash line position indicated in Figure4. The twister will drive the gear 10 and the gear 69 to turn the shaft66 and the gears 65 and 61. Therefore the shaft 36 will be turned and atthe right moment, the cam 39 will give movement to the lever '33 toswing the cutter to the left so that it shifts with the candy. Thismovement should begin at substantially the instant when the cam 50 isready to depress the arm or lever 48. When the lever 33 has pulled thecutter as far to the left as it can go, the downward movement of theblade 32 should be complete. The cam 58 then releases the arm 48 so thatthe spring 55 can quickly raise the cutter knife 32. The cutter is thenreturned to starting position at the right while the candy continues togo in the opposite direction through the aperture 64 in the post 3i.This mode of operation enables the cutter not only to sever one stickafter another from the elongated body of candy but it also tends to helpthe feeding because the cutter moves in the same direction as the candy,and, from the instant when the knife strikes the top of the candy untilthe instant when it has completed its stroke, this blade will push thecandy on ahead of it. At the same time the candy behind it can remainstraight and is not arched or buckled as it would be if the cutter bladedid not move to the left with the candy when the cutting stroke is made.The plane of the blade 32 is diagonal with respect to the line of feed,and this makes the ends of each stick bevelled as shown in Figure 1. Afunnel-shaped guide leading to opening 64 may be mounted on plate 29 ifdesired.

As the cutter functions to cut off one stick after another the sticksare finished by turns in the forming section 3. The stationary androtary members of this section are mounted upon a lateral extension(Figure 4) at the left rear corner of the platform 6 and power istransmitted to the rotary member from the shaft 33. The stationarymember or support is in the form of a semi-circular plate 16 securedupon an upright journal 11 mounted in the outer end of the extension 15and passing upward through the rotary member 18. The stationary member16 has one end projecting over the platform 6 towards the cutter baseplate 29. When the blade 32 finishes its cutting stroke the greater partof the length of the stick is already upon this member 15; one extremitythereof being near the journal 11 and the other extremity projectingbeyond the curved edge of the stationary member. The rotary member 18(Figures 1 and 4) has an opening through which the journal 11 passes andrevolves about the latter. The hearing 68 on the platform 6 has an upperhorizontal extension 19 in'the end of which is a vertical bearing forthe upper end of the shaft 33, and above this bearing the shaft carriesa sprocket gear 80. Over the rotary member 18 is a sprocket 8| having ahub 82. This gear is rigid with the rotary member 18 but free to turn onthe journal 11 and below the gear 89 is an arm 83 held in fixed positionon the extension 19 and supporting a tightening gear 84. The end of thisarm has a radial slot 85, and through this slot passes a bolt forming ajournal for the gear 84 and secured in place by a nut 86.

Fastened to the bottom of the rotary member 18 is a molding element orbar 81 extending from one end of the rotary member to the other endhaving an opening at the center for the journal 11. This journal has awasher 88 thereon be tween the stationary member 16 and the bar 81 sothat there is a small clearance between this bar and the stationarymember. The opposite outer ends of this bar are rounded, and eachbar hason the rear or trailing side'thereof a. shallow rounded recess 89 nearthe outer end. The bevelled projecting end of each stick is pressed, ina manner hereinafter'set forth, into'this recess.

To curl or bend over the projecting ends of the sticks of candy aforming lever 99 is mounted on another lateral extension 91 at the leftfront corner of the table 6. This lever has on its free end a stud orjournal 92 surrounded by a washer 93 resting on top of the lever 99. Ontop of the washer is a bending roller 94. The washer 93 is of suchthickness that the lower side of this roller is supported just above thetop face of the member 16. To ensure proper action of the lever it mustswing in a horizontal plane just under the member 16, and for thispurpose the outer end of the extension which is at the same level as theextension 9I is made with a projection or thickened outer end 95 onwhich the stationary member 16 rests and in which the stud 11 is fixed.A spring 96 is connected to the lever 99 at one end and to the bottom ofthe member 16- at the other and acts to pull on this lever so that theouter end thereof tends to move in towards the center of the member 18.The curved edge of the member 16 has a slot 91 extending into the sameadjacent the stud 92 and when the member 18 is in. the right positionthe spring 96 will move the lever so that the washer 93 can move intothis slot 91. At that time the roller 94 moves over the upper face ofthe plate 16 and bends the outer end of a stick in position there aroundthe extremity of the bar 81.

The rotary member has curved edges 98 with concave or reentrant portions9, these concave portions being of substantially the same curvature asthe roller 94. The driving chain for transmitting motion from the gear89 to the gear 8| is shown at I99.

This part of the machine is so timed that, with the member 18 revolvingclockwise, the convex portions of this member engage the roller 94 andhold the lever 99 at the extreme right of its movement until one of theconcave recesses 99 comes into position adjacent the roller 94. Beforethis takes place a stick of candy is pushed upon the member 16, with itsend adjacent the cutter pro truding. In this position the candy isengaged by the fiat leading side of one half of the bar 81 and impelledsidewise ahead of this bar along the top of the support 16 until itoverrides the slot 91. Just before this half of the bar 81 reaches theadjacent end of the slot, the outer end of the stick will strike theroller 94 and begin to be bent backward; the other end being firmly heldagainst the advancing face or flat side of the bar so as to keep it insubstantially radial position. As soon as the candy has passed over theslot, the member 18 uncovers the recess or slot 91 and the stud 92 withits washer 93 then enters the slot and the lever is swung to the left bythe spring 96. The bending of the candy is then completed, and thebevelled extremity of the stick is forced into thehollow recess 89 bythe roller 94, so that the hook on the end of the stick is turned outslightly as indicated in Figure 1 as the bending is finished. Then thenext convex portion 98 of the member 18 engages the roller 94 andreturns the lever to starting position. This operation takes place twicein each revolution as successive sticks are picked up by the two halvesof the bar 81, and impelled across the member 16 in this way. This barcan of course be in two pieces as Well as one.

To make certain of holding each stick in place as it is bent and of thedischarge of each of the candy. canes upon the conveyor, combinedretainer and ejector elements are carried on the lower face of themember 18; one adjacent each end of the bar 81. This ejector elementcomprises a flat curved strip I9I rigidly united with a straightretainer strip I9 Ia at the leading face of the neighboring bar 81, andhaving along its forward edge a downturned portion forming a radialflange I9Ib to hold the stick against the front side of said bar 81 andkeep the inner end thereof from being swung away from this bar when theouter end of the stick is bent over. Each curved piece I9I is riveted tothe lower ends of the guide studs I92 fastened at the upper ends toa'disc or head I93 above: the rotary member 18; which is of courseperforated to enable the studs to pass upward through it. Each head I93has a central stud I94 which slides in an opening I95 in the member 18and associated end of bar 81 so that the head is properly guided whendepressed. The hub 82 of the gear 8| has a hollow boss or extension I99which is of course rigid with the gear BI and the member 18, to jointthe gear 8I to said member; and has recesses in the sides thereof withpivot pins on which are mounted levers I01. Each lever is secured at itsouter end to a pin in projections at the upper end of the stud I94 abovethe disc I93, and the levers are normally pulled downward by springs I98made fast at their lower ends to the member 18 and at their upper endsto crossbars I99 on the levers I91. Below each lever is a plunger II9mounted to slide freely in an opening in the bar 81 and member 18, andadapted to press at its upper end against the lower side of the leverI91 and to slide at its lower end along the upper face of the member 16.As illustrated in Figures 1 and 4, there are two of these retainer andejector elements.

So long as the plunger II9 runs on top of the member 16 the lever I91over it is pushed up but when the plunger runs over the edge of themember 16, at the left of Figure 4, for example the plunger II9 dropsand the springs I98 then force the lever I91 downward to make theejector expel the candy. When, however, the half of each bar 81 reachesthe other half of the straight edge of the member 16, in proximity tothe cutter, this edge being parallel to the guide 21, it encounters abent-down portion II I of the member 16 on which is a lift cam II2 thatpushes the plunger I I 9' upward and makes the lever I91 elevate theejector and retainer.

In practice whenever a stick of candy is pushed upon the member 16 itextends along the top thereof adjacent the edge having the cam II2. Wheneither half of the bar 81 arrives at the cam II2, the plunger I94 israised, and so are the strips I9I and I9Ia. The flange I9Ib is liftedover the stick, and then the lower end of the plunger drops upon themember 16, with the rib I9Ib overlapping the stick of candy and in frontof it. The retainer strip I9Ia does not press upon the candy, and thebar 8I now strikes sidewise against the stick, pushes the stick ahead ofit, and propels it over the slot 91. Along the entire surface of themember 16 the flange I9Ib on the strip I9Ia keeps the stick of candylined up against the front of the bar 81, even when the outer endstrikes the roller 94. Just before the stick reaches the slot 91 theroller 94 begins to bend the end of the stick over the curved end of thebar, and when the member 18 crosses the slot 91 theroller continues tofold the end of the stick and forces it against the rear side of the barand into the concave recess 89. After the bending is completed thestick-is impelled around to the straight edge of the member 16 where thecrock in the end thereof comes to a recess I I3. Adjacent this recess isa notch I I4 in the member 16 which releases the plunger II9. As soon asthis plunger drops the springs I98 pull down the levers I91 and causethe parts MI and I9Ia to move downward together to discharge the caneupon the belt 3. This ends the operation and the canes on the conveyorare carried away to be dried and packed. The flanges I9 Ib prevent thesticks of candy from being revolved at their inner ends about theextremities of the bar 81, when the roller 94 engages the sticks.

The operation of the machine is continuous be cause the candyiscontinuously twisted and fed by the wheels I0 into the tubular guide 9,issues therefrom and is pushed over the plate 29 to be out. By the timeeach stick is cut off it rests upon the member 16 and is ready to bepushed around by whichever half of the bar 81 is first to engage it. Theduplicate curved parts 0899 of the member 18 so control the roller 94that the extremities of the sticks are bent over and given the shapedesired.

In Figures 13 to 16 inclusive a modification is presented. Here therotating member of the forming device has four cam portions 98-99 andtherefore makes four canes per revolution. This machine is thereforeadapted to turn out candy canes more rapidly, especially canes ofsmaller size. The sizing, feeding, twisting and cutting are done asbefore.-

The main parts of this modification are supported by a frameworkconsisting of a beam H5 mounted on posts III). From the beam extendlateral arms II1 which carry at their outer ends a main supporting partH8 having a bearing at the center for a shaft II9 by which the rotarymember is turned. On the shaft below the part I I8 is a gear I20 whichis rotated by a pinion I2I on a shaft I22. The pinion I2I, as before, isdriven through gearing from the shaft 9a.

On the top of the part H8 is a. spacing sleeve I23 which holds up thestationary member I24 and above this stationarymember is a square collarI25 on the shaft II9. This collar rotates with the shaft, and betweenthis collar and the member I24 is another spacing sleeve I26. The rotarymember I21 rests upon and is secured to the square collar I25, and thismember has an opening at the middle to receive a round collar I28 fixedto the shaft H9. The member I21 thus surrounds the collar I28 which isof smaller diameter than the collar I25, and serves as a stop to holdthe shaft I I9 in place.

To one end of the beam H5 is attached an extension I29, to the outer endof which is pivoted the lever I30. The end of this lever carries a stud92, washer 03 and roller 94 in the same relation as before, so that thislever can move when the rotary member I21 uncovers the slot 91 in themember I24. A spring I3I is affixed at one end to a stud I32 on thelever and at the opposite end to the stud I33 in the end of the part II8.

The forming bars are shown at I34 under the member I21 and having fiatfront sides with concave recesses I35 and rounded outer ends. These barsare secured by screws I36 surrounded by spacing elements I31 so that theforming bars are disposed a short distance below the member I21, andbetween the bars are plates or decks I38 fastened to the lower faces ofthe rotating member I21 by screws I39 and spacing sleeves I40 thereon.These decks are approximately quadrantal in form and they are about thesame distance from the member I21 as the tops of the bars I34. Thesedecks lie between the two members I24 and I21 and the sticks of candyare forced in beneath these decks when they are transmitted to thestationary supporting member I24. Projecting from the top of the memberI21, adjacent each forming bar are bolts I4I connected at their tops bya perforated bridge piece I42. These bolts may be shouldered at theirupper ends so as to hold up this bridge piece and nuts I43 hold thispiece tight. Through an opening at the middle of the bridge pieceextends a plunger I44 which goes downward through an of the member I24.

opening I45 in the member I21 and is encircled by a collar I45 smallenough to fit inside the opening I45. Between this collar and the pieceI42 is a spring I41 surrounding the plunger. The washer I45-normallyrests upon the ejector strip support I48 and this strip is perforated togive passage to the plunger, which has a shoulder I49 below it, so thatthis support I43 is gripped firmly between the shoulder and the Washer.The forming bars below these supports are bored to-permit the plungersto work up and down throughthem. Each adjacent strip support is fixed atits end adjacent the shaft H9. For this purpose screws or rivets I360.passing down through the rotary member and the ejector supports into theforming bars I34 are used. On the screws are spac ing washers I31abetween the supports and the rotarymember I21, and other Washers orsleeves [3127 between the bars and sup-ports I34. These supports arenormally set in horizontal position but are resilient so that the outerends can be depressed.

The ejector and retainer elements are shown at I50. They extend alongthe front flat sides of the bars I34 near the tops and curve around theends like the parts IOI and IOIa; and the straight parts of theseelements have bent down-flanges I5I, likethe flanges IOIb. Theseelements I50 are made fast under supports I48 by rivets I52 surroundedby spacing sleeves I53 and when the plungers I44 are pressed down theelements I50 are lowered. As long as the plungers I44 run upon the topof the member I24 the elements I50 are held up. Enough room existsbetween the decks and bars I34 for the elements I50.

On the member I24, however, is a cam I54 which pushes the plunger I45 upjust before the associated forming bar reaches the stick of candy; andthe flange I5I on the element I50 is lifted so that it can clear thestick. This cam ends at the position of the candy on the member I24, andeach bar I32 is recessed at I45a to clear the cam I54.

Adjacent'the point where the candy arrives upon the member I24 thismember has an elongated radial opening I55 in which is a cylindrical barI55 mounted on pointed pivot screws I51, mounted in bearings on thebottom of member I24. In the opening a metal strip I58 is afiixed to;one side of this bar. This strip 158 has one edge higher than the top ofthe member I24 and extends beyond the periphery of said member. A springI59 fixed to a pin on the bottom of the member I24 and to a pin on thebottom of the bar I50 tends to hold the bar in such a position that thestrip projects vertically above the face When the candy is fed to themember I24 it runs along in front of the strip I58, between it and theadvancing element I34 and when the element I34 starts to movethe stickthe strip I58 is knocked down against the member I24 and the candy slipsover it.

The candy sticks are delivered to the member I24 and lie alongside ofthe strip I58. Ordinarily the lever I30 is held outward by theprojecting portions of the rotating member I21. As this member revolvesthe plunger I44 runs upon the vents displacement of the stickasabovedescribed. When the rotating member I21 carries a recess 99 intoposition to allow the lever I30 to act the stick is bent at its outerextremity as before. When the bending is finished the candy is carriedaround to the straight edge of the member I54 which has a recess I I3aand a recess I I411. The latter releases the plunger I44 and the elementI50 then throws the candy down on the conveyor, the bent end thereofpassing through the space 311.

The top 6 may have a projecting bracket I60 attached to the extension9|, to serve as an alternative point of support for the bending lever,asdesired. See Figure 4.

The stationary member I24 is approximately semi-circular as shown inFigure 13, and the cam I54 projects over one edge thereof and raises thelower end of which the plunger I44 as it is being carried toward thestationary member, after dropping at the recess I Ma, the same as doesthe lift cam II2.

The pins I2 with rounded ends give a decided practical advantage. It hasbeen the custom in the building of sizing rolls, such as are shown at-I0, to cut or ridge the grooves II, or knurl them "so that each sizingroll will have a certain bite into the material it is working.Otherwise, the rolls would give no traction and would not function atall. I have found that such methods of roughening the surface of thegrooves II interfere with the sheen on finished candy. I therefore shapeand mount the escutcheon pins I2 in such a manner that the end of eachpin will sink into the material suificiently to give it traction withoutbreaking the surface. The only marking of the surface is a depressionmade by the pin which is readily smoothed out by subsequent forming,leaving no scar on the surface of the candy. The ends of the pins I2 aretherefore rounded so as to press into the material but not break thesurface. This is quite important in a sizer for candy having a highexterior gloss.

It is to be also observed that the sizing unit comprising the rolls I0twists as it sizes. This result is essential in the manufacture ofpieces where a spiral stripe effect is desired. The automatic twistingof the stripe gives a uniform spiral ascomparedwith twisting by hand.Where the spiral effect is not desired, I may eliminate the revolvingsizers and instal an ordinary set of sizing rolls to feed the candywithout twisting.

Another advantage of the invention is the adjusta-bi'lity of the machineto various lengths or sizes of candy canes. This is done by the use ofdifferent chain gears which change the ratio between the out off and theamount of feed of the sizer rolls.

While the machine described herein has the preferred construction setforth, I of course may resort to many variations in design, withoutdeparting from the principle of the invention or exceeding the scope ofthe appended claims.

Having described my invention, what I believe to be new and desire tosecure and protect by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A candy-making machine: comprising a tubular guide, a cutter in linewith said guide to sever pieces of candy in succession, superposedmembers one of which is rotatable in line with said cutter to receivesaid pieces separately, means for moving the cutter towards and fromsaid members and means for bending over an end of said pieces.

- 2. A candy-making machine comprising a tubular guide through which anelongated body of candy is transmitted, a cutter in line with said guideto sever pieces of candy in succession, and members for receiving saidpieces from said outter and bending over one end of each, means formoving the cutter towards and from said members, means for rotating saidguide, and connections between one of said members and said guide.

3. A candy-making machine comprising a tubular guide through which anelongated body of candy is transmitted, a cutter in position to receivesaid candy and sever pieces therefrom, members to which the candy isdelivered from the cutter and by which said pieces are controlled to besuccessively bent at one end, means for rotating said guide, andconnections between said guide, said cutter, and one of said members tooperate same, said connections embracing means for actuating the cuttertowards and from said members.

4. A candy-making-machine comprising a feeding device, a cutter,superposed forming members, one of which is rotatable, a shaft driven bythe feeding device, cams rotated by said shaft, connections to move thecutter towards and from said members and enable said cams to operate thecutter, and connections from said shaft to the forming members tocontrol the latter.

5. A candy-making machine having a molding element with a rounded end,one side of said element being concave adjacent said end, means forrevolving said element and means movable parallel to the plane ofrevolution of said element for bending a piece of candy around said endagainst said concave surface.

6. A candy-making machine comprising a stationary support to whichelongated pieces of candy are delivered in succession, a rotatablemember carrying a molding element to engage the side of each piece ofcandy and impel it over the surface of said support, and means forbending said piece around the end of said molding element.

7. A candy-making machine having a stationary support, a rotatablemember, a molding element carried by said member above said support toengage a piece of candy and impel it sidewise over said support, thelatter having a slot in its edge, and a lever having a part to entersaid recess and bend the candy around the extremity of said element whenthe latter passes said slot.

8. A candy-making machine comprising a stationary support, a rotatablemember having a molding element above said support to engage the side ofa piece of candy and impel it over the surface of the support, a levermounted adjacent to said support, the edge of said support having aslotand the lever carrying a part to enter said slot to bend said candyaround said element as it passes said slot, said rotary member beingcam-shaped with reentrant portions to permit said lever to enter saidslot.

9. A candy-making machine comprising a support to which a long piece ofcandy is delivered, a rotatable member having a molding element toengage side of said candy and impel it over the surface of said support,retaining means for keeping said candy adjacent said element, and anejector element to release said candy from said molding element attheedge of said support.

10. A candy-making machine comprising a support, a rotary member havinga molding element, bending-means controlled by said member, an ejectorcarried by said support, and a plunger carried by said rotary member andengaged by the support to hold said ejector inoperative until it passesthe end of said support.

11. A candy-making machine comprising a stationary support, a rotarymember carrying a molding element above said support, means forcooperating with said element to bend the end of a piece of candy aroundthe extremity of said element, a flanged retaining and ejector stripcarried by said member adjacent said element, and having a curved endportion adjacent the end of said element, a head above said memberhaving projections passing through said member to engage said strip, aspring-pressed lever mounted on said member and connected to said head,and a plunger mounted in said member abutting said support and saidlever, said plunger releasing the lever to depress the strip when itpasses over the edge of the support, the latter having an inclined camat the point where the plunger again arrives at said support to raisethe plunger and hold the strip inoperative.

12. A candy-making machine comprising a feeder and twister, a cutter, aforming section, a rotatably-mounted tubular guide to delivery anelongated body of candy from the twister and feeder to the cutter,supports in which said guide is mounted, and a driving pulley on saidtube between said supports, and driving connections between said guideand said cutter and forming section to operate and control them, saidconnections embracing means for actuating the cutter towards and fromsaid members.

13. A candy-making machine having a forming element with a roundedsurface a rotatable member carrying said element, a lever having a fixedpivot at one side of said member a spring connected to move the levertowards the center of said member to cooperate with said element andbend a piece of candy around said surface.

14. The candy making machine according to claim 13, wherein said machinehas also an ejector device, and means for operating said device to expelthe candy from said machine after bending.

15. Candy making apparatus comprising a forming member, means forrotating said member, an element carried by said member having a roundedsurface against which a piece of candy stock is bent to provide a hookthereon, an element on said member to engage and keep the piece in placewith respect to said first-named element, and a lever to cooperate withsaid firstnamed element during the bending operation.

16. Candy making apparatus comprising a forming member, means forrotating said member, an element carried by said member having a roundedsurface against which a piece of candy stock is bent to provide a hookthereon, a lever to cooperate with said element in bending the candy, anejector in said machine for said piece, and means connected to beoperated in unison with the first-named means and actuated thereby tocause the ejector to expel'the piece from said apparatus after thebending is effected.

RAY W. KROUT.

